Special Education

Special Education Services

Keli Melcher, Special Education Coordinator

VALUES

Hartland/Lakeside values collaborative ownership of children regardless of their label within a fully inclusive service delivery model. Staff work together to meet the needs of ALL children so everyone benefits from the learning environment.

In the 2013-14 school year the district has established a Service Delivery Task Force made up of administrators, teachers, and support staff from all three buildings to create a strategic plan around effective service delivery and inclusion. If you have any questions please call Keli Melcher at the number listed above.

Did you know?

No studies since the 1970s have shown an academic advantage for students with intellectual (and other) developmental disabilities educated in separate environments (Falvey, 2004)

The National Longitudinal Transition Study (largest longitudinal study of educational outcomes) of 11,000 students with disabilities showed that there was a positive correlation in higher scores on standardized tests of reading and math, fewer absences from school, and fewer referrals for disruptive behavior with more time spent in a general education classroom.

The positive correlation was for all students with disabilities regardless of their disability label, the severity of their disability, their gender, or their family’s socioeconomic status. The performance of students without disabilities is not compromised by the presence of students with disabilities in their classrooms. (McGregor and Vogelsberg 1998)

Typical students benefit from their relationships with students with disabilities. (McGregor and Vogelsberg 1998)

“The presence of students with disabilities provides a catalyst for learning opportunities and experiences that might not otherwise be part of the curriculum, especially relating to social justice, prejudice, equity, and so forth.” (McGregor and Vogelsberg 1998)

Information taken from:Research on Inclusive Education Fall 2001-Working Draft, National Center on Inclusive Education, University of New Hampshire